A Gift that Means the World
by Mowen Maximus
Summary: A short, couple chapter story that also happens to be my first attempt at writing a fic. Soul screwed up and forgot to buy Maka a birthday present, and is now scrambling to find the perfect one. With some help, will Soul be able to find a gift that would mean the world to Maka?
1. Chapter 1

You would think buying a birthday gift for someone that you know literally everything about would be a piece of cake.

Soul "Eater" Evans was fast discovering that this was not the case.

"Aww, dammit! Why do I always wait 'till the last minute to do important stuff like this? Not being able to find a present for Maka would be so uncool" muttered Soul, as he exited the seventh shop he had visited in the last hour. Death City was a vast place, and Soul had yet to quiet give up on finding the perfect present for his blonde-haired meister. Maka's birthday was today, and a party (courtesy of Soul) was being thrown for her in just a few hours. Everything had been arranged and taken care of. That is, with the exception of one little procrastination.

"Jeeze, what would be more uncool, arriving late to a party that you are supposed to be hosting, or being the only one without a present for the birthday girl? Damn, I had so much time, too…" Soul said, frustrated at his rapidly closing window of time. What the hell was he going to do? Soul was so caught up in his moping that he didn't spare a thought to where he was walking, and he crashed headlong into a figure coming around a corner.

"What the…" Soul shouted, stumbling backwards to catch his balance. "Really, Soul, what has you so preoccupied that you can't watch where you are walking, hmm? I thought all of the party details were taken care of." asked Death The Kid, Soul's classmate and friend, who also happened to be a Grim Reaper. Soul noticed that Kid was currently bereft of his twin pistol partners, Liz and Patty Thompson, and assumed that they were helping Maka get ready for the party. Soul was about to crack a smart-ass remark when he suddenly hit upon an idea!

"Kid! Oh thank Death I ran into you! Listen, I still haven't gotten Maka a present for her birthday, and I'm almost out of time! YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME!" Soul begged, grabbing Kid around the wrist and starting down the road deeper into downtown Death City. He made it about two feet before Kid dug in his heels and stopped Soul in his tracks.

"Ok, Soul, a couple things. First, why in my father's name did you wait until now to get Maka, your BEST FRIEND, a birthday present, when you KNOW that you both are awful at buying presents for one another, and require ludicrous amounts of time to pick something? Second, what do you expect me to do about it? I have already arranged my gift for Maka, and I don't have any more ideas" said Kid, in his matter-of-fact voice, which at the moment was giving Soul a splitting headache.

"OH COME ON, MAN! You expect me to buy that? You're her boyfriend, after all! You've gotta have at least one good idea hidden up that suit sleeve! Pleeeeeease!" Soul normally didn't dust that word off much in conversation, but he was getting desperate, and begging was not beneath him at a time like this.

"While it's true that Maka and I have been dating for close to six months now, I can't really understand why you would think that would give me a better insight on what she would want for her birthday. You have known her for YEARS, Soul, many more than I have. If you can't figure out what to get her, then I don't know what I can tell you that will help" considered Kid, now feeling slightly sorry for the poor scythe, self-inflicted though his dilemma was. "Have you tried finding a book she would like?"

Soul shot a look that was half exasperation, half bare-faced disgust at Kid's query. "You think I didn't already have that idea? I kept trying to pry answers out of her about what kind of books she prefers, but I always got the same vague, generic, half assed "I love 'em all" answers that anyone who loves to read gives. I gave up on that three days ago when I realized a book from me would be meaningless." Soul sat down on a nearby bench, defeat threatening to overtake his face. "I'm just at a loss. What could I give her that would mean what I want it to mean? She's important to me, and I want this gift to represent the relationship we've built over all these years. To most people, it would seem like I'm making a big deal out of nothing, but Maka has been there for me for so long, and she believed in me when no one else would. I need to find something that describes just how much all that means to me. BUT WHAT THE HELL SHOULD IT BE" Soul cried in half rage, half despair, his arm half turning into a scythe blade out of sheer frustration.

Kid stood there, trying to find some way to console his friend and help him with his problem. Soul was showing a side of himself that he very seldom let out, and Kid knew that indicated this was a time for being serious. As Kid tried to deduce a proper gift from his knowledge of Maka and Soul's relationship, an answer bubbled up into his mind from seemingly nowhere, but he knew instantly that it was what Soul needed to hear to solve his dilemma.

"Soul, I know how you can get Maka the perfect gift!" Soul looked up, barely allowing himself to hope. "What you have to do is do something that only you can do. You need to take all of those feelings, and you need to express them in a way that only you can. If you keep those parameters in mind, I am sure that you will come up with something perfect" instructed Kid, feeling hopeful that this new insight would send Soul on the proper path. Soul looked a tad confused, but comprehension began to dawn on his features, and he looked up at Kid with gratitude in his crimson eyes. "Thanks man, I think that's what I needed to hear" said Soul.

"No problem, Soul. I'm glad I could help. Now, there is a little over two hours until the party begins. I am going to go check up on the girls, and I will see you at the apartment, eight o'clock sharp!" exclaimed Kid, with a tinge of euphoria that he was able to convince Soul to change the party time from seven to eight. The symmetry of the number was tantalizing in his mind as he walked down the street, leaving Soul to his deliberation.

"Ok, Soul, you can do this. All you have to do is sum up all of the feelings of gratitude and friendship you have for Maka, and project them in a way that only YOU can. This CAN'T be that hard!" thought Soul, the gears turning in his head at smoke-producing speed. He blew another fifteen minutes before an idea hit him like a Reaper Chop. Shark teeth barred in a satisfied grin, Soul took off towards his new destination. A destination, Soul knew, that would provide him exactly what he needed to achieve exactly what he wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey Guys! So, I got super detail oriented in this chapter. I hope you enjoy and that it isn't TOO descriptive!**

 **Thank you zoeyangel, PawPrint05, and Baxter for your reviews!**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" shouted the guests at Maka's party later that day, as the birthday girl finished blowing out the candles on her delectable strawberry vanilla cake. "Thank you, everyone! And thank you so much for the cake, Tsubaki, it looks delicious!" Maka exclaimed! "Well," said Tsubaki with a bashful smile on her face "it was either I make the cake, or Soul was going to let Black*Star make it, and…well…let's just say he doesn't have the patience for baking".

"Are you saying that a God can't bake a cake?" asked Black*Star, more amused then offended. "I could bake a cake that would beat every other cake there is! I could bake the strongest cake in the universe!" "Sure you could, Black*Star, if you could just stop turning the heat up all the way to try and make it bake faster. The best cake in the world can't be burnt!" Laughed Maka, happy for the cheery mood her friends were getting her into. She glanced over at Soul, who was getting the plates and forks to serve the cake. He seemed happy enough, but he had been acting very strange earlier…

When she had arrived home from Gallows Manor and the pampering that Liz and Patty had supplied, she was surprised to see Soul hunched over his desk in his room, papers with weird symbols written on them strewn all over it. He was writing away with such ferocity and concentration that he didn't even notice Maka come in. She walked in quietly, only announcing herself when she was directly behind Soul, which resulted in a reaction that reminded Maka of when a cat is caught doing something bad.

"What the hell, Maka! You're going to give me a damn heart attack! I thought you wouldn't be back for another fifteen minutes!" Shouted Soul, shoving the papers from his desk into a bag. "I decided to add a couple things from my wardrobe to the outfit Liz and Patty got me, so I came home early to get them ready. What were those papers, Soul?" Asked Maka.

"None of your damn business, that's what they were. Now get out of here. You're party is about to start, and I've got to make myself look cool. You could do with a little work, yourself." Muttered Soul, who grabbed Maka by her shoulders and walked her out of his room before slamming the door. Hard.

"What is wrong with you, Soul!?" Shouted Maka, enraged at both her dismissal and his quip about her appearance. No reply came through the door, and that, in turn, made Maka even angrier. "Should have known he wasn't going to hold off on being an ass just because it's my birthday." Maka sighed. She went into her room to put those last minute touches on her outfit before the guests arrived, all the while huffing about Soul being so brusque. What set him off like that? What was written on those papers? School work? No, not a chance. Soul hardly ever did his homework.

Maka was trying her best to figure it out, but the sound of the doorbell ringing shattered her concentration. "I got it" yelled Soul, and a few moments later she could hear the sounds of her friends filing into the living room. "Ok," she said, determination setting in her eyes, "My friends went through a lot to put this party on for me. I'm going to go out there and have a good time!" Maka exclaimed! She only hoped Soul wouldn't make her mad again.

As it turned out, Soul was a perfect gentleman and the ideal host during the entire party. When Maka walked out of her room, she found all of her friends mingling in the living room. There was Black*Star, standing on a chair while boasting about how he would one day surpass God, and there was Tsubaki, agreeing with him with a smile (tinged with exasperation) on her face. There was Crona, sitting quietly in another chair, cup of tea in hand. His features bespoke a slight bit of tension, but he was quickly becoming more and more relaxed with the group as time went on, and he was currently sporting a smile while laughing at Black*Star.

There were the Thompson Sisters, who were sitting on the couch, both talking over each other as they told a story from their time as children to the man sitting in between them on the couch, a man who rose as soon as he noticed Maka had walked out of her room. He crossed the room and pulled Maka into a firm yet gentle hug. She returned the hug, breathing in his comfortable aroma, and the last vestiges of anger at Soul vanished. He always had such a comforting effect on her, one of the many reasons she had decided to date Death The Kid in the first place.

"Happy Birthday, Maka. You look absolutely stunning! Not that you needed any help." Said Kid, a broad smile splitting his face. "Th-thank you, K-Kid. I…" Maka faltered, starting to blush. Even after half a year of dating, he still knew just what to do to give her butterflies. "Hey, Kid! Stop hogging the birthday girl! We want to wish her a happy birthday, too!" Proclaimed Black*Star, and suddenly all of her friends crushed around her, hugging her and dragging her back to the living room to join in the conversation. They had just got settled back down when Soul came out of the kitchen.

"I could use a quick hand in here to put the final touches on dinner." Said Soul. Liz jumped up enthusiastically. "I'll go help. Be back in a minute!" Maka wondered if Liz really had dinner on the mind. Maka could recall more than once when Liz confided in her about her attraction to Soul, and Maka remembered with a sly grin how she had encouraged the demon pistol to make a move on Soul, who Maka ALSO knew was attracted to Liz. She was starting to wonder if the wings on her soul were indicative of being a real life Cupid, but her friends soon drew her out of her matchmaking thoughts.

It was another ten minutes before dinner was brought out of the kitchen by a slightly blushing Soul and a Liz who was grinning from ear to ear. It may have been her imagination, but Maka could have sworn she saw a hint of lip gloss on Soul's lips. "Dinner is served, everyone." Said Soul, arms outstretched. "Dig in!" And boy, did they ever.

Maka couldn't eat another bite, and was about to get up from the table when the lights suddenly went off. She was startled for a moment, but the sight of seventeen small lights coming from the kitchen put her at ease. Soul set the cake down in front of Maka as all of her friends began to sing the time-honored song. Maka spent a few moments thinking of a heart-felt wish, and then she blew out the candles with all her might. "Happy Birthday" Shouted the guests at Maka's party, her most precious gifts, and she knew that her wish had already come true.

"Ok, everybody, time for the birthday girl to open her presents!" Shouted Soul. Maka turned towards the pile that her friends were eagerly awaiting her to attack. "Might as well get to it" Maka thought, making her way over to them

 **To be continued.**

 **AHHHHH, CLIFFHANGER, HOW YOU VEX MY READERS!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So holy crap, I thought I was pushing details BEFORE. Sorry for how the story is crawling, but I had so many ideas for the gifts, and I didn't want to do a half assed job with them. It's crazy how this was intended to be a one chapter story, and now I have to start writing chapter 4.**

 **Anyway, thank you everyone for your support, and I hope you like the new chapter!**

Maka had made out like a bandit with the gifts her friends had gotten for her.

She started by opening the gift from Black*Star, as he would settle for nothing less than having his gift lead the charge. The wrapping paper fell away to reveal a new pair of combat boots and gloves, different in design than the ones Maka was accustomed to. "I designed them myself! The boots have steel reinforced heels and toes, as well as lots of padding around the shins." Black*Star boasted. "The gloves have studs hidden in the knuckles that are padded on the inside. Now you can kick some serious ass even without Soul, or one of your super lame books!" Black*Star laughed at the last comment, which may have been why he did not notice the Maka chop that cracked him soundly on the head.

"Hmm" Maka said matter-of-factly, "I guess I don't have to retire the books just yet, huh, Black*Star?" Everyone else in the room fell into fits of laughter, and after a moment Black*Star joined in good naturedly. "Seriously though, thank you for the gift. I'm sure they will work out great!" said Maka. Black*Star smiled that self-satisfied grin he used whenever someone paid him a compliment. "No problem, Maka! After all, a god has to watch out for his people!" More laughter followed that comment.

Crona's gift came next. He actually broke into a rare smile when he handed Maka the two meter long rectangle, wrapped in paper with little birthday cakes on it. "Dude, why did you get Maka a surfboard? She barely knows how to boogie board." Soul said, smirking those shark teeth of his. Crona frowned for a moment, apprehension filling his face, but surprisingly overcame it. "It isn't a surfboard. It's something much more…Maka." Said Crona, confidence shining through a half disguised mask of doubt.

Not able to contain her curiosity any longer, Maka shredded the paper covering the gift. It was a long wooden board, smooth to the touch and rounded at the corners. For a moment, Maka thought Crona really did get her a surfboard, but then she turned it over. Carved into the other side of the board was a phrase that Maka could repeat in her sleep, words that she had memorized on her first day at the DWMA because of the importance they carried:

" _A sound Soul dwells within a sound Mind and a sound Body"_

Maka was very impressed by the gift, and was about to tell Crona so when she reexamined the actual carvings on the board. "Crona?" Maka asked, "How did you make the carvings so even and precise?" Once again, Crona smiled. "Oh, I had a little help." He said. At that moment, Ragnarok popped out of Crona's back and punched him in the back of the head. "How many times have I gotta tell you to stop calling me little!" shouted the Demon Sword, trying to land more blows on Crona's head. However, Crona had learned how to deal with his violent partner long ago. He reached back and punched Ragnarok on the head. Hard. "Owowowowow! Fine, that's the last time I help you with anything, Crona!" Exclaimed Ragnarok, as he retreated back into his meister.

"Thank you for the gift, Crona. I really like it! It will go great on my wall." Said Maka, crossing the room and embracing Crona warmly. "And thank you, Ragnarok." She whispered. Maka wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she heard a whispered "You're welcome" come from under Crona's shirt in return.

Liz and Patty's gift was next. Together they handed Maka a small, official looking envelope with a wax seal on it. Intrigued, Maka tore open the envelope to reveal an elegant card with the words "Official Invitation" emblazoned in gold lettering on the front. "An invitation?" Maka asked. "An invitation to what?" Patty was trying with everything she had to keep her composure, while Liz beckoned Maka to open it and keep reading.

Obligingly, Maka opened up the card. Inside was the explanation she had been looking for.

"Maka Albarn, you have been selected to join us for a day of relaxation and rest! Using our state of the art spa and highly trained masseuses, we will make all of your troubles disappear. Please come to our establishment on the date provided, and we will open up to you a whole new world of comfort. We await serving you with anticipation. Signed, Death City Sensations."

Maka nearly dropped the card. Death City Sensations?! That was the most exclusive spa in the entire city, and certainly the most skilled. People had to wait _months_ on the reservation list to even have a chance of going, and even then they still may not be chosen by the invite-only establishment to attend. Maka had heard Ms. Marie talk once about the time she had been invited to attend the spa, soon after achieving her Death Scythe status. With glazed over eyes she had spoken of rippling mud baths, expensive oils, and exotic masseuses with fingers of magic. It was an enchanting tale, and now Maka had been selected to attend this bastion of comfort and relaxation, thanks to her friends.

Maka sat, dumbstruck for a moment, before attempting to ask the questions on her tongue. "I…but…how…" she mumbled, but Liz decided to save her the trouble. "Patty and I put your name on their list about four months ago. We wanted to be sure your invitation came before your birthday." Said the Demon Pistol, a smirk gracing her lips. "But HOW did you know they would even select me? I'm nobody special!" Maka spoke, bewilderment evident on her face.

"Oh, that was the easiest part!" Liz's smirk had transformed into a full-on smug smile now. "I ran into the owner of the spa when I was putting in your reservation request. We spoke for a moment, and I _may_ have let it slip that I was making a reservation for the _very_ serious girlfriend of the son of Lord Death. He seemed pretty interested in that, and told me he would look into your request personally. Three days later, _that_ was in my mailbox." Liz said, pointing at the card still clutched in Maka's hands.

"But…but how did you pay for it? This place is supposed to be ridiculously expensive!" Maka asked. Patty cocked her head thoughtfully. "You know, that's the funny thing. We were going to pay for it in installments, but then we got another letter with that one. It was from the owner of the spa, and it had our down payment inside of it. He wanted your whole trip to be on the house, it said." Patty started to smile. "I guess he thinks you're as cool as we do!"

Maka looked down at the card again, then looked back up at the Thompson girls. "Thank you two so much. After all of the missions we have been going on, it's going to be so nice to be able to just relax for a day. You're the best!" Maka exclaimed before jumping up and embracing the sisters. "No problem, you deserve it!" Liz and Patty said in unison. When they finished hugging, Liz grabbed Maka on the shoulders and started to turn her around. "Now, I think someone _else_ is ready to give you their gift." Liz whispered, the smirk returning to her face.

Kid had stood up from the couch and was starting to walk over to Maka. "You may have noticed that my gift is not in the pile. That is because I could not think of any material possession that I could have gotten you that would sum up how much you mean to me. You are my greatest treasure, the missing piece of my soul that I didn't even know was lost. Thus, I have gotten you a gift that, I must admit, is something that also pleases me." Kid had stopped walking, having reached a point standing directly in front of Maka. He reached into his suit jacket and removed a large, and rather full, envelope, which he handed to Maka.

Maka opened the envelope and, realizing that there were many items inside, emptied the contents onto the coffee table. Papers scattered across the table, followed by a smaller sealed envelope that Kid moved with him off to the side. Maka picked up one of the sheets of paper. On it was an aerial photograph of Tokyo, with the name "Japan" in red letters across the top. She picked up another one, this one a shot of white sand and crystal water. "Hawaii" was written on that one. She went through the papers one by one. England, France, Germany, Australia, and a dozen other countries were all represented within the sheets of paper.

Maka was confused for a moment, but then recognition began to dawn on her face. She looked over at Kid, who was wearing his ever regal smile. "Is this…is it what I think it is?" Maka asked, excitement barely contained. "Yes, dear heart, it is. Starting Monday, you and I are going to travel around the world. Each of those photos represents a place we will be traveling to. We will be staying in the finest accommodations, and partaking in very exciting events and entertainments. But more than anything, I wish to just be in your presence, and I hope you will indulge the slight selfishness that went into this gift." Kid said, eyes turned downward.

Maka placed the papers on the table, calmly stood up so she was face to face with Kid, and proceeded to jump onto him to give him a hug. "This is so amazing, Kid, thank you! There isn't any selfishness to ignore, because I really wanna spend time with you, too! I can't wait to do this with you!" Maka shouted, the force of her hug almost knocking Kid over. They stood, embracing for a few moments, before Kid gently lifted her and placed her back on her feet. "I am so glad you agree, love, but you should probably finish opening your presents. We will have plenty of time together on the trip." Kid said, a mischievous light in his eyes. Maka nodded, turning back to her remaining gifts.

"Ok, I'll open Tsubaki's gift next!" exclaimed Maka, reaching over to pick up a large, square package. "I…I was going to buy you something, but I felt that you would appreciate this more." Squirmed Tsubaki, apprehension evident on her face. "Don't worry Tsubaki, I'm sure I…" Maka's speech halted as the glimpsed what was inside the delicate wrapping paper. It was a large, velvet bound photo album. Maka opened it up to reveal the first photograph inside, captioned by the word "Friends" underneath. It was a shot of Maka and all of her friends standing at the top of the stairs leading to the DWMA.

She remembered the photo being taken, mere days before the fateful fight against the mighty Kishin, Asura. Not one person in that photo knew at the time whether they were going to live to see the sun rise the next day, but their friendship had seen them through that trial, and every peril since that day almost a year ago. "I made this with photos taken from all the way back to when we first became friends, and worked forward, using the pictures as kind of a timeline of all of us meeting and…well, kept going all the way till now." Tsubaki said sheepishly. Maka turned through the pages and, indeed, it showed chronologically through photos the relationship the group had created with one another. There were shots from their first year all together, preparing to go on missions together, many photos of them doing nothing more than hanging out around the city.

As Maka moved through the pages she saw many faces come into the photos leading up to the time that they were engaged in battles with Asura and Arachnophobia. There was even a full photo of the entire team, all of the strongest students from their class at the DWMA, taken right before they went on a mission to find the Magic Tool, Brew. Since then, many members of the team had gone their separate ways, but they all tried to keep in touch when they could. But Maka's closest friends were all still here, and her eyes teared up with her gratefulness at that fact. She closed the album and took a deep breath, eyes closed for fear of crying.

"I understand if you don't really like it" Tsubaki said, misreading Maka's reaction with her head hung. "I know it was a dumb id-oof!" Tsubaki shouted as Maka tackled her to the floor of the apartment. Maka had grabbed Tsubaki in the tightest hug she could manage without killing her. "I love it, Tsubaki." Maka said through tear filled eyes. "I love it so much. Thank you." Tsubaki was still for a moment, and then returned Maka's hug warmly. "You're welcome, Maka. I'm so glad you like it." They hugged for a moment longer before Soul cleared his throat forcefully. "Right, right. Sorry! More gifts to open." Maka said, lifting herself from Tsubaki and seating herself in front of the pile again. She looked around at all of her friends, surrounding her in the living room, and couldn't control the smile that split her face.


End file.
